Secret Confession #9

I was about 23 years old and I always had a passion for psychology but I couldn’t afford to go to University and study.

I was reading a lot on the subject and one day I stumbled on a course called “Neuro-Linguistic Programming” which wasn’t very expensive. I signed up and did the course and then I started to advertise my services as a Neuro Linguistic Programmer on the local market. To build a client database, my ad sounded something like this.

“Imagine yourself being happy, content, and satisfied. Imagine that you just found all the solutions to all your life problems. Imagine that now, you are in control of your thoughts, your actions, and your life. Imagine yourself feeling powerful. Take control of your life now with two hours of counseling, free of charge”.

Between others, a very young lady came to see me. She was living in an orphanage. She told me that soon she would turn 18 years old and she would be thrown out of the orphanage she had no place to go and live, no job to make money from, nothing. She told me that she would end up on the streets and that her only option would be to become a prostitute. That happened in Romania, where the government doesn’t help people with free council houses or any other benefits like that.

I was and still am totally against prostitution. It is one thing for someone to become a prostitute by choice, but different for someone to become a prostitute because there are no other options. So I told her that we would figure out a way so she wouldn’t have to do that. The next couple of days I talked with charity organizations, I talked with the council, and I even talked with different companies to give her a job, but no one would help me to help her. I couldn’t help her either because all the money I was earning was going on my expenses. However, I managed to rent her an apartment so she will have a place to live until she finds a job. Days went by and we were both looking to get her a job, but completely unsuccessful. I always liked going to deep tissue massages but as I recently moved into another district, I just couldn’t manage to make a same-day appointment anywhere. At some point, I complained to this lady that it was crazy that in such a big city I couldn’t find to make a same-day appointment for a massage.

Then, it clicked!

She started to offer deep tissue massages in that apartment. I was never her client because somehow I didn’t find it right. She started to make money and even paid the whole rent for that apartment. At some point, we weren’t even in touch anymore, until one day when we met to catch up. She told me that she brought another friend into that apartment and they both do massages and it's going well. The entrepreneurial spirit inside me came up with the idea to rent a bigger venue, create a company, and hire more people.

I borrowed money and made a company, I rented a huge house and she brought more of her female friends from the orphanage. They were all sleeping and working in that house. For them, it was a new beginning. A chance to make themselves a life. Even though I was thinking about making money as well, I was proud of myself that I managed to even do something like this. I mean, I was the reason why those six young girls weren’t on the streets selling their bodies. I gave them a place to stay, to sleep, and to work.

Soon enough, the business was booming!

They brought more female friends, I had to rent an even bigger venue, and I even had to hire a secretary as none of them could keep up with working and taking more appointments at the same time. They were making good money, I was making good money, and clients were happy and kept recommending us, it was insane!

A few weeks down the road I wasn’t even going to see what was happening. I was just keeping in touch with the secretary and dealing with advertising from home. One day, one girl called the police because a client was being aggressive. I had to go there and sort things out.

Then things went to shit.

After the police went away, I had a chat with all the girls about what happened and I even made a contract with a security firm and had a panic button installed. While chatting with the girls, they start bragging about what phones they bought, what bags, what clothes, etc. Then, I found out from them that I even have a maid who comes once a day and does the cleaning and the girls are paying for it. Then, I discovered that they did some redecoration too. I went home that day somehow pleased with how well they were doing, somehow impressed with all the commitment, and somehow confused because they were spending all the money they were earning, on stuff. I had a little chat with my then-girlfriend about what was happening and she said not to worry about it as they have no financial education at all, and it's probably the first time they have good money and they are just buying the things they always dreamed of. I let it go for a while.

I started to go there a bit more often. I was hearing conversations between them like if they should buy the 2000 euro bag or the 2000 euro holiday to God knows where. Something wasn’t right, I just had this feeling. I had a chat with them about how they should save or invest the money as this business won’t last forever. It was like talking to myself. My then-girlfriend kept saying to me “Leave them alone, it's their life, their money”. I started feeling sad as the whole purpose of this was for them to have a start in life, and instead, they were buying luxury things. I wondered several times if they were offering any extras to clients to make more money. I just couldn’t get my head together how someone who makes like 1000 euros/month, can just buy a 2000 euros bag. They could have saved to buy that bag, but when you don’t have anything else you don’t think of luxury items. I mean, Jesus, not even my ex-girlfriend had a bag worth more than 200 euros and we had the money to buy loads of them. I asked them if they were offering anything extra and they all denied it.

One day my car was in service and I had to take a taxi home. I start chatting with the taxi driver about life. He asked me what I do for a living and I said about that massage saloon. He smiled and said, “Oh really? I know that one, the girls are just amazing”. I was proud but at the same time intrigued. Why did he just compliment the girls and not the quality of the massage? Like, if I meet with the owner of a shop, I’d say “Really? I know that shop. I find food to be cheap compared with other stores” and not “Really? The saleswoman is hot”.

The taxi driver explained to me that they were offering erotic massages, the girls were completely nude and they were masturbating the clients.

I started crying like a child when I heard that. I felt hurt, betrayed, played. They were young and had a whole life in front of them. They were 18-year-old innocent girls. I had to borrow money to create all that and offer them a start in life so they don’t have to get into prostitution. I start seeing them as part of my family. And this is what they are doing? How stupid could I have been? I somehow knew it but I didn’t allow myself to believe it was true. Now everything made sense. The way the house looked inside, the money they were making. I felt so embarrassed in front of the taxi driver. Not for crying, but because I just became a fucking pimp! I like to believe in myself as a man of honor. My parents raised me to be a man with moral values. I do everything right, I don’t have a criminal record. I don’t get into fights. I don’t do drugs. I don’t even like alcohol. But I’m a pimp!

I went home and talked with my then-girlfriend about it. She wasn’t surprised. She knew. The whole fucking city knew except me!

I have this rule that I don’t make decisions based on my emotions If I’m too angry or too happy. After talking with loads of people, from friends to lawyers, I realized that as long as there is no sex involved, it's perfectly legal. And everyone said that I have a successful business and I shouldn’t just throw it away.

I had a meeting with the girls and I told them I knew about it. We weren’t friends anymore, it's just business. I made a few rules, changed prices, changed the advertising, changed shift patterns, fired the secretary, and hired a new one. Suddenly, I was swimming in money.

Because the girls weren’t making as much money as they used to by robbing me behind my back, they started to have sex with clients without me knowing. I haven’t thought for a second that they would go that far for money. I haven’t thought that not only they are going to break my trust again, but they would break the law as well, just for some money.

One day I got a call to go there for an emergency. Someone (competition) reported to police that girls are having sex with clients. Police came and closed the salon. Everyone was questioned about it. I got sued.